It has begun, my friends.
Synopsis[]
"Listen to the stories of the elders, my child, they know more than might meet the eye. The most glorious tales happened far before your hatching..."
This is the story of an extraordinary dragon who no one ever noticed. A dragon who guarded his own treasure and fought for his queen in her personal guard. A dragon who fought for his life and lost something precious. A dragon who dared to care about a little dragonet who everyone else was terrified of.
This is a story you've never heard before, but it's one you will never forget.
This is the story of Osprey.
Part One: Youth[]
Chapter One[]
"It's a lovely day in the Sky Kingdom today. The sun is shining, the arena is clean, the birds are tweeting. Ah, if only Osprey was AWAKE TO SEE IT!!"
"Aah!" The little, bloodred SkyWing dragonet clapped his paws over his ears, attempting to block out his friend's screeching. The other dragonet sat back on her haunches, pleased.
"Up now?" she asked teasingly, and Osprey grumbled, slowly pushing himself up from his nest.
"Yes. Thanks, Roc."
"Don't mention it!" chirped the little orange SkyWing. She gave him a cheeky grin and swished her tail. "Besides, we've got work to do today!"
"Don't we have work to do every day?" asked Osprey as he clambered out of his nest and went to get a drink. The other dragonets in the dormitories were waking too, some as bright and cheerful as Roc, others less so. They passed a few who were still snoring, even.
As Osprey plunged his snout into a bowl of cool water, taking a refreshing draught, Roc began to chatter- a habit that the other had learned to deal with by now. Honestly, it was part of her slightly obnoxious charm.
"I heard that today we're going to be learning how to fight IceWings! Ooh, I hope they bring in a real, live one! Wouldn't that be absolutely blazing, Osp? A real IceWing in our arena! It's just a pity that there's no war on, what with Queen Snowblossom acting all peaceful."
"Speaking of that, how'd they get an IceWing, hmm?" asked Osprey, finally pulling his head out of the water. "You didn't really think that statement through."
Roc looked askance at him and snorted. “Yeah, I guess. But, you know, rumor has it!”
“You need to stop listening to Rockslide and her silly rumors,” said Osprey, following the rest of the dragonets to the mess hall. “First it’s about Queen Topaz having an affair with King Cobra, next it’s about a RainWing uprising! Honestly, I’m surprised you’re not constantly looking around corners for evil animus dragons by now.”
Roc’s coppery eyes lit up, and she leaned in close to her friend, whispering, “You never know, Osp, you never know...”
The two dragonets exploded into giggles until suddenly, a huge foot pounded in front of them.
“What’s all this about?” A deep voice rumbled, full of deep bass tones and harsh gravely hisses. The young SkyWings looked up at the face of a scarred, weatherbeaten general, starind down at them with dark eyes.
“O-oh, General Jetstream!” exclaimed Osprey, his friend going deathly silent. That was Roc’s way, all right- chattering on until it got her in trouble.
“Why aren’t you two in the mess hall?” growled Jetstream, his voice like thunder in the rocky tunnels. Roc squeaked at it, but Osprey stayed firm.
“We were just going, sir,” he replied, trying to remember his training. Until the dragon is registered as a friend or a foe, keep your ground. A guard does not rush from his post.
The general sniffed, then shifted ever so slightly, giving the dragonets passage.
“Go on then. Don’t be late for training. Long live the queen!”
“Long live the queen!” called Osprey back behind him, then sank with relief. Roc tittered, holding a wing up to her face, and he pushed her with his tail.
“O-oh, look at me, I’m Roc!” Osprey puffed his chest out and made his voice go squeaky. “I’m scared of General Jetstream and I listen to nothing but rumors and Rockslide all day! Duh-uh-uh!”
“Stop it!” said Roc, but she was grinning. Osprey laughed with her and together, the two SkyWings raced off down the hall to breakfast.
Chapter Two[]
ALL RIGHT, YOU MISERABLE EXCUSES FOR SKYWINGS!”
General Jetstream was at it again, Osprey thought as he stood stock-still next to Roc and Vulture, all of the others mimicking their stone-still pose.
“Who here,” Jetstream snarled, his lip twitching, “knows the best way to pierce a MudWing’s defences?”
“OOOH, OOH! Me, sir, me!”
Everyone turned their heads as Jetstream stalked down the row, glowering at every dragonet he passed until he reached one in particular.
“Ah, Shrike. You again.”
“Me again, sir,” Shrike agreed, puffing his chest out. Shrike was a handsome dragonet, deep dark red with eyes that glittered like shards of the sun. Osprey felt his heart give a little flutter as he looked at the other SkyWing, but crushed the feeling.
“Well, what is it?”
“Of you can't reach the traditional weak spot on the base of the tail, then aim fire towards the eyes and underbelly,” Shrike recited as if spouting from a book. “MudWings are the most unarmored there and this will likely incapacitate them so you can finish them off.”
“Very good.” Jetstream almost sounded like he expected the wrong answer. He continued to pace down the line, dragonets straightening up as he passed.
“Someone other than Shrike,” Jetstream glared at the dragonet when he began to put his paw up, “What is the best way to pierce a SandWing’s defences?”
“Attack the eyes and lower abdomen, sir, or the wings, while avoiding the tail.” It was Kite who piped up now, and Jetstream nodded again.
“Good. Now, does anyone know how to defeat an IceWing?”
The line went silent. Osprey flicked his eyes from Vulture to Roc, and both of them looked just as confused. Even Shrike seemed unsure.
General Jetstream laughed deep and low in his throat. “Of course you don't, you snivelling maggots. I wouldn't expect a group of half-baked RainWings like you to know.”
“Sir, with all due respect,” that was Wren, now- “weren't we allied with the IceWings not that long ago?”
“That's correct, Wren,” Jetstream glared down at her, his yellow eyes flashing like lanterns. “However, Queen Merlin broke the alliance with them when Queen Aurora disrespected our tribe!” Jetstream got visibly angry at this, and for a moment, Osprey wondered whether he had been directly involved.
Jetstream shook his head and returned to pacing. “So they are now our enemies, and Queen Topaz has decreed that it will stay that way.”
Nobody questioned him. It was foolish to ask, and Wren had been dancing on that line when she dared to. It wasn't uncommon for Jetstream to lose his temper and hit one of them.
The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. Shrike, as usual, outshone the rest with his boundless knowledge of the topics. Osprey knew it was because he had been up reading late into the night. He had grown up with Shrike, and knew his whys and wherefores.
Eventually, the real fun began. Jetstream liked to race the dragonets in his charge against each other, and the winner would get an extra chicken at dinner that night. Shrike was almost always the winner, but he was so nice about it that no one really resented him for it.
“Hey, flyboy,” Roc chirped as Shrike made his way over. He grinned at both her and Osprey in turn, and again, Osprey had to quell his fluttering heart.
“Hey, Roc. Hey, Osp. Ready to get your tails beaten?”
“Oh, you wish,” taunted Osprey, smiling. Despite whatever he felt for the other SkyWing, Osprey and Shrike had been in a friendly rivalry ever since Wingery days. And, honestly, he wouldn't have it any other way.
“ALL RIGHT, WORMS!” General Jetstream roared, and they all turned to face him. “One against one, as usual! First pair, Roc and Wren!”
“Bye, guys!” Roc trilled cheerfully and skittered off to stand by Wren. A short burst of flame from the General, and it began.
Everybody in the squadron loved the races. General Jetstream was as stoic as ever, but somehow, Osprey felt that he loved them too. After all, no other general training dragonets did this. And he swore he could see, every once in a while, a little smile on the huge SkyWing’s scarred snout. Of course, it could easily be his imagination, but...
Roc and Wren zipped around above, and as always, the squadron oohed and ahhed at the sight. Wren’s friends began to chant for her, which spurred Shrike to take in a deep breath and bellow: “ GO, ROC! YOU CAN DO IT!”
Their friend heard and, beating her orange wings, grinned as she sped up. Wren huffed as they spiralled around each other, their flame-tinted scales contrasted against the wide blue of the sky.
Finally, they reached the end of the race. Roc managed to land first, and preened as Wren touched down just a second after her. Jetstream nodded.
“Roc wins! Second pair: Kite and Vulture!”
The racing continued. The losers went to sit down, and the sun began to fell. Eventually, though, after winning against Vulture and Flyga, Osprey came face-to-face with Shrike.
“All right! Three, two, one...” The two dragonets stood side-by-side, and Osprey cast a glance towards Shrike out of the corner of his eye. The other caught him, and grinned, a friendly challenge in his gaze.
Jetstream blew that flare, and the two leapt into the air. Osprey pumped his wings furiously, having to beat two times for every one of Shrike’s. His wings are just so big! Osprey thought in vain, watching his friend dart ahead and stick a dot of tongue out at him as he did.
Snarling, Osprey beat harder, and he sped up more than he expected, edging just ahead of Shrike. He squawked in surprise and attempted to catch up, but Osprey was on a roll now! Whooping, he twisted and turned, reveling in the cool rush of air against his scales.
When his talons hit the ground a second before Shrike’s, Osprey gave a confident crow, blowing a spurt of flame. Shrike walked up and grinned at him, tongue hanging out of his mouth.
“You did it, Osp. Good race!”
Osprey accepted Shrike’s proffered headbutt and danced about, high on his victory. General Jetstream coughed.
“Osprey wins the chicken! Good job, son. Off to quarters until dinner!”
Osprey and Shrike were joined by Roc a few minutes later. “Wow, Osp, that was great! You were so fast, like, woosh...”
Osprey giggled. “Thanks, Roc.”
Shrike bumped him, friendly and teasing, and Osprey bumped back. He had his friends, his well-being. He was going to be a soldier in the SkyWing army! Everything was pretty great.
Later, at dinner, Osprey gave his chicken to Valiant, in the younger year. He had hurt his tail last week.